you will drink tea with us, _batyushka_.
Gracious heavens! A man comes, goodness knows from how far off, and
no one gives him so much as a cup of tea. Liza, go and see after it
quickly. I remember he was a terrible glutton when he was a boy, and
even now, perhaps, he is fond of eating and drinking."

"Allow me to pay my respects, Maria Timofeevna," said Panshine, coming
up to the excited old lady, and making her a low bow.

"Pray excuse me, my dear sir," replied Marfa Timofeevna, "I overlooked
you in my joy. You're just like your dear mother," she continued,
turning anew to Lavretsky, "only you always had your father's nose,
and you have it still. Well, shall you stay here long?"

"I go away to-morrow, aunt."

"To where?".

"To my house at Vasilievskoe."

"To-morrow?"

"To-morrow."

"Well, if it must be to-morrow, so be it. God be with you! You know
what is best for yourself. Only mind you come and say good-bye." The
old lady tapped him gently on the cheek. "I didn't suppose I should
live to see you come back; not that I thought I was going to die--no,
no; I have life enough left in me for ten years to come. All we
Pestofs are long-lived--your late grandfather used to call us
double-lived; but God alone could tell how long you were going to
loiter abroad. Well, well! You are a fine fellow--a very fine fellow.
I dare say you can still lift ten poods[A] with one hand, as you
used to do. Your late father, if you'll excuse my saying so, was as
nonsensical as he could be, but he did well in getting you that Swiss
tutor. Do you remember the boxing matches you used to have with him?
Gymnastics, wasn't it, you used to call them? But why should I go on
cackling like this? I shall only prevent Monsieur Pan_shine_ (she
never laid the accent on the first syllable of his name, as she ought
to have done) from favoring us with his opinions. On the whole, we had
much better go and have tea. Yes, let's go and have it on the terrace.
We have magnificent cream--not like what they have in your Londons and
Parises. Come away, come away; and you, Fediouchka, give me your arm.
What a strong arm you have, to be sure! I shan't fall while you're by
my side."

[Footnote A: The pood weighs thirty-six pounds.]

Every one rose and went out on the terrace, except Gedeonovsky, who
slipped away stealthily. During the whole time Lavretsky was talking
with the mistress of the house, with Panshine and with Marfa
Timofeevna, that old gentlem